Second Chances
by Estella Greenleaf
Summary: MxM relationship.  Please do not read if this offends you.  Characters from 300 are reincarnated into an AU threatened by an alien invasion.  SteliosxAstinos pairing.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Second Chances

Author: Estella Greenleaf

Rating: M (R/NC-17)

Pairing: Stelios /Astinos ; Leonidas / Dilios (Implied)

Disclaimer: Not mine! No profit made, etc…

Author's note: I am really sorry that the first thing I wrote in years is not a new chapter of my LOTR stories. I really do want to finish them, but this plot bunny just won't leave me alone. So here I am, posting a 300 reincarnation AU story that will probably entertain no one except myself. But I really hope you will give this latest strange brainchild of mine a chance. And please, any feedback on the characterization will be greatly appreciated. I really want to keep the boys in character, since it's a reincarnation story. Thanks for reading!

* * *

Chapter 1:

People used to think meteor showers were beautiful, romantic even. But that was before the Leonid meteor shower brought an un-welcomed visitor. The meteorite was not big by any standards. Its impact on mankind, however, was an entirely different story. For within its rocky core, lurked the beginnings of an alien life-form, a parasite targeting individuals with a particular genetic makeup to turn into grotesque pawns in a quest to establish its species on Earth.

At first, all those infected were turned into mindless drones, with only the need to feed the budding parasites within. "Bulbs", these creatures were later called, after the bulbous alien fungus that would explode from its hosts' flesh if allowed to fully mature. Though Bulbs would attack and bite anyone within reach, they were only a small threat with their slow lumbering movements. Even an average person could outrun them.

It wasn't hard to contain the first outbreak. Once the medical experts determined that the parasite infections were irreversible, the military's Rapid Response Tactical Squad (RRTS) was called in and the infected were "neutralized" with minimal civilian casualties. But one could never truly contain a microscopic threat capable of taking to the air and scattering with the winds. Three weeks later, miles away from the site of the original outbreak, the city of New Laconia became the incursion point of another alien infestation.

With this second incident came a nasty surprise: the aliens' invasion strategy had evolved. No longer did all parasites usurped control of their hosts for growth, some fused their genetic material with their victims', creating mutations that altered physical structure and amplified aggression. The result was a legion of beasts with an insatiable appetite for human flesh, vanguards for the slow-moving Bulbs. Berserkers and Imps, these monsters were later named, one with preternatural strength and the other with preternatural agility.

A lot of people died in New Laconia during that second outbreak. The RRTS was not prepared to fight the aliens' new puppets. In the end, an air strike was called in and the entire city was destroyed to prevent the alien infestation from expanding. The survivors were quarantined; despite the total lack of outwards symptoms, all were subjected to extensive testing for parasite infection.

Lo and behold, five of the survivors tested positive for alien DNA – the commander and two members of the RRTS unit sent to suppress the outbreak, a linguistics professor at the local college and an eight-year old boy, who had witnessed his father's horrific death under the claws and fangs of a monster that had once been his mother.

The initial plan was to terminate these "Carriers" of the alien parasite; but the higher-ups soon found a better use for them. The idea was to "fight fire with fire", to pit Carriers against the other monstrosities the aliens created. So it was that the Alien Control Division (ACD) of the RRTS was formed. The five survivors, the boy included, were sent to endure the toughest special combat training program ever devised. Following the arduous year-long "boot camp", the infected RRTS unit commander, Leonidas, was officially assigned as the Boss of the ACD, while the other four Carriers became the unit's first agents. While the two ex-RRTS members received masculine call signs like "Duke" and "Hawk", the civilians got stuck with the nicknames "Daisy" and "Sunshine".

* * *

Though he would never admit it, he rather liked the name "Sunshine", Stelios reflected as he glanced at his watch again for the sixth time in ten minutes. There's a certain smart-ass ring to it that he thought fitted him well. It was a good thing he got his code name then; if they had to come up with a call sign now, they'd probably call him Psycho or Maniac for seeming disregard for self-preservation and his propensity for mayhem.

It was this later tendency that landed Stelios in his present predicament. It wasn't his fault really; he certainly didn't ask the aliens to make a nest in an advanced weapons research lab. He already refrained from using his guns out of consideration for lab's delicate equipments; but one couldn't possibly expect him to go hand-to-hand with a group of Imps without getting thrown around a little and doing some throwing of his own. Unfortunately, his superiors didn't see it that way. While the Boss was against any serious disciplinary action, he thought it time for Stelios to learn a lesson in manners. The young agent was barred from the field until he completed the RRTS's social ethnics class. It was ironic, really, learning ethnics from people who routinely sent him out to die with no second thought, but he didn't want to make trouble with the Boss.

Stelios tried to entertain himself with imagining various combat scenarios as his instructor droned on about the importance of respecting private property. Seriously, as if any normal person would care about property destruction when a six-foot monster was after them… As he bit his lip to keep himself from voicing that exact thought, his keen ears picked up the sounds of footsteps marching towards the classroom door. When the door opened to reveal his best friend and fellow agent Dillios aka "Daisy", Stelios knew his prayers had been answered.

After handing a folder to the RRTS ethnics instructor, the blond agent turned to Stelios and grinned, "The Boss wants to see you."

As grateful as he was to be out of the boring lecture, Daisy's Cheshire cat grin set off every warning bell in Stelios' system. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like whatever the Boss had planned.

_

* * *

Heat… callused hands roamed muscled planes, setting afire to already overwrought senses. Touches stolen under the cover of darkness, urgent, desperate, forbidden pleasures never to be mentioned in the light of day… Pain… branding him, searing his insides as it melted away into ecstasy. Deft fingers stroked him, each caress pushing him closer towards passion's peak. These sensations, this intimacy… it's too much, yet not enough… never enough… Spent, encircled in strong arms as whiskered lips covered his... his wildest dream realized... _

_A husky whisper, "No regrets?" _

_A smile, "Not anymore." No matter what the day brings, this moment would be his for all times. _

* * *

Astinos groaned at the dampness against his belly as the fog of sleep lifted. Cracking open an eye, he surveyed the damage he'd done to his sheets and sighed. He would have to take them to the laundromat again today. As much as he enjoyed his dream lover's visits, having to deal with the aftermath every morning was getting a bit tedious.

He supposed it was a good thing the dreams didn't start until a month ago, after his graduation from the military academy. Gasping out a man's name in the middle of the night wouldn't be a good way to make friends at the RRTS training facility. Then again, it wasn't as if he had friends to lose anyway. He was three years younger than all the other recruits; and though he was tall and muscular for a boy his age, he had his mother's eyes and mouth, which gave him an androgynous sort of "prettiness" that he couldn't seem to outgrow.

Astinos imagined things would have been quite bad for him at the academy if his father hadn't been training him in the arts of combat since he was six. But as it were, he could easily take out a group of boys twice his size. No one ever dared try to pick on him. His fellow trainees weren't even brave enough to call him "pansy" and "mommy's boy" in his face, though he heard the names whispered often enough in the locker rooms.

The youth ran a hand through his unkempt sable hair to clear his dark thoughts. Today was a new start for him, his first day as an agent of the Alien Control Division; he couldn't afford to let his past weigh him down. While most would not envy his assignment, given the high casualty rates and "suspect" company at the ACD, Astinos was ecstatic. All his life, he had wanted his father's approval. To receive the man's recommendation for a position among the world's elite soldiers was a vote of confidence he hadn't even dared hope for. He wouldn't let his father down. Sure it would be difficult for a human like him to keep up with genetically enhanced Carriers with years of combat experience, but he'd find a way. Whatever it takes, he would prove himself worthy of being the great General Artemis' son.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Second Chances

Author: Estella Greenleaf

Rating: M (R/NC-17)

Pairing: Stelios /Astinos ; Leonidas / Dilios (Implied)

Disclaimer: Not mine! No profit made, etc…

* * *

Chapter 2 

Stelios was in many ways a man of contradictions. He could spend hours stalking his alien adversaries, waiting for the perfect opening. Yet, as he walked beside a silent Daisy to the ACD central office, the "wait" for the revelation of the Boss' plans seemed insufferable. He wanted to know now. "So what does the Boss wants to see me for?"

"Patience is a virtue, Sunshine," Dilios replied sagely, despite his amusement at the petulance in his young friend's voice. Stelios could be such a child sometimes; one would never have guessed he's the best field agent in the ACD. "You'll find out when we get to his office."

Stelios decided he wasn't above pouting a little to satisfy his curiosity. It wasn't warrior-like behavior; but he was never big on keeping up appearances anyway. He gets his jobs done, and that's all that mattered. Wrinkling his brow, he put on his best puppy look and insisted, "But Daisy…"

"God no, not the puppy eyes!" Dilios laughed and palmed his forehead. "Aren't you getting a bit old for that?"

"Maybe" Stelios replied as he continued to pout. His friend had always had a hard time saying no to his hopeful baby blues; getting older was no reason to change this tried-and-true strategy.

"Alright, you win. Just stop looking at me like that." Shaking his head, the older agent chuckled, "The Boss has set up a meeting for you tomorrow."

"Come again?" Stelios frowned in incomprehension. Boot camp wasn't exactly a good place for a child to learn social etiquettes; and the young agent knew most people found his manners severely lacking. While the Boss was very understanding of his quirks, he couldn't imagine his commander wanting to introduce him to anyone, especially if the said person was someone he didn't want to offend…

"A bit slow today, aren't we?" Dilios teased with a mischievous smile. Ignoring his younger friend's baleful glare, he prompted, "Have you heard of General Artemis?"

"Of course. It's thanks to him that we have a fancy complex instead of a jailhouse to hang around in when we aren't on assignment. Why would the Boss want me to meet him?" Stelios frowned deepened as he pondered the reasons for a meeting with one of the highest-ranking officers at the RRTS. While he had always favored pragmatism over protocol, he was certain he hadn't done anything that bad…

"Not him, his son."

"Why would…" Realization dawned on Stelios, hitting him like a proverbial hammer on the head. He held out a hand to stop Daisy from moving closer to the Boss' office and shook his head in denial. "Oh no… no way… not a chance in hell…"

Dilios knew his friend would react badly to the news. To be honest, he wasn't exactly thrilled either when Leonidas first told him there'd be an uninfected rookie joining the team, but he trusted his lover implicitly. "The Boss didn't make this decision lightly. Young Astinos is very gifted. He is the youngest cadet to graduate from the RRTS training program."

Stelios rolled his eyes and decided now would be a good time to do a dry run of his protests to see which one could get him out of this babysitting assignment. Usually, what worked with Daisy would work with the Boss too. "Great, he's a kid!"

Unable to resist teasing his friend despite the circumstances, Dilios quipped, "Well, the two of you will get along just fine then."

"Yeah, right…" Drudging up a memory he'd much rather forget, the young agent continued with a grimace, "Do you remember what happened with my last partner? The guy begged the Boss to put a bullet in his head before one of my crazy stunts gets him eaten alive on the field."

Dilios knew that, barring the four original Carriers, Sunshine had never had much luck working with partners. All the other agents were once civilians, drafted into the ACD due to their 'Carrier' status. Few would take extra risks to rescue a handful of survivors; and even fewer still actually enjoyed the field assignments. Working with Stelios, who would take the most dangerous of jobs with a gleeful grin, was simply too much for them to handle. But things were different this time.

"Yes, I remember; but Astinos requested this assignment. He actually wants to be here. And if he is anything like his father, I'd say the possibility of him balking under pressure is remarkably small."

"Even if he wants to stick around, he isn't a Carrier like us. The aliens will have a field day with him, and that's assuming someone here doesn't get to him first." Untainted human flesh was the alien's favorite food; putting the kid on the field would be like dangling fresh meat in front of a hungry mob. Not to mention, there's plenty of resentment for the RRTS in their division. He could imagine the presence of an uninfected soldier would ruffle a lot of feathers.

With a patient smile firmly in place, the older agent replied, "Well, yes, which is why the Boss needs you to be his partner. If anyone can watch his back, it'd be you."

Stelios sighed in defeat as he realized Daisy was right. He would likely be the kid's best bet at surviving in the ACD, if the Boss were to take the boy on. Though why the man would want to do such a thing was beyond him, he would stand behind his commander's decision. "You know, as much as I hate having a partner, I'm beginning to feel sorry for the kid."

"Sympathy is good," Dilios chuckled as he placed a hand on his friend's back and gave him a nudge forward. "Just keep an open mind, Sunshine; you might find yourself liking your partner for a change."

"You mean, like you like our Boss?" Stelios asked with a meaningful grin before dashing away from Daisy to avoid possible retaliation.

Dilios shook his head at the suggestive retort and hurried after his wayward friend. He had done his part in persuading Stelios to give the rookie a chance; now, all he could do was hope for the best. But if his lover were right about young Astinos, the ACD office was about to get a whole lot more interesting soon…

_

* * *

Pain… it seared through his every nerve; but still, he persevered. He had survived the diamastigosis; but tomorrow was another day… and his father would still be here… watching…_

"_You can do some permanent damage if you do not allow your body time to heal."_

_By the silvery moonlight, his eyes found a hooded youth upon the outer wall. The stranger was a few years his senior perhaps… Not dressed as one of the Agelai, but too young to have undertaken the krypteia. A perioeci then… or maybe a helot… a well-loved one, kept for the company of his pleasing form… _

_He averted his gaze. He had no time to waste on such appraisals. Thrust… spin…switch hand from left to right… _

_He lost his hold; and the spear clattered onto the wall. "By the Gods!"_

"_You are thinking too much." _

_The taunt in that smug voice was too much to ignore. "I do not take advice from strangers." Pain… it intensified as he bent to retrieve his spear…_

"_Look around. My advice is likely the only advice you will get."_

_A graceful leap brought the stranger close enough to touch. His breath hitched, as intense cobalt eyes captured his. Playful grin in place, the man stepped behind him. The soft breath caressing his neck, the warmth of a strong body upon his back… the sensations made his stomach tighten and his throat dry… _

_Strong arms encircled him… There was a growing sense of unease… but battling it was an excitement more potent than anything he had ever known. Fingers interlaced with his on his spear… he bit his lip to hold back a gasp… _

"_If you insist on hurting yourself, you may as well do something worthwhile."_

_He never got the chance to respond as the stranger began to guide his body through the motions of the attack he'd been practicing only moments before. "See, no thinking, just feeling." _

_Swing… twirl… switch hands… thrust… "Nice and smooth, like a dance."_

_A rush of cold swept upon his back. The stranger had stepped away. "Who are you?" He knew now that, despite the man's youthful looks, before him stood one of the Spartiate._

_A few footholds and some gravity defying leaps brought the man back upon the outer wall. A roguish grin made deep-set cobalt eyes twinkle. "Stelios at your service." _

_On its own volition, a shy smile formed. "I am Astinos."_

"_I know." Then, as suddenly as his new friend had appeared, he was gone again. _

_Stelios… he would remember that name always. _

* * *

Astinos pondered the meaning of his latest dream as he watched yet another agent passed with a dismissive look. He was scheduled to meet his new partner, Sunshine, at the reception area at 0800 sharp; but it's now 0905 and the man was still nowhere to be seen. Or at least that's what Astinos presumed, since he didn't really know how the veteran agent looked like. The ACD didn't rely on photographs for identification; the only picture of Sunshine in the system was taken at the age of nine, which was no help at all. As things were, he didn't even have a real name to go by. The Boss insisted on letting Sunshine do the introductions in person, if the man so chooses. 

Astinos wouldn't be surprised if his new partner were avoiding him; after all, it was no big secret that he wasn't welcomed here. The Boss as much said so yesterday, ordering him to undergo a series of comprehensive examinations before he could even train with the other agents. In the meantime, he was to train exclusively with Sunshine and attend courses on alien physiology, behavior and control tactics.

The young soldier sighed and decided he couldn't afford to waste anymore time waiting. He needed to train in preparation for his field tests; and he knew the ACD's standard morning drills would start soon. With his afternoon schedule packed with classroom lectures, he would have to go now if he were to use the physical training facilities. He looked around the near-empty reception area one last time and stood.

Astinos was to receive his security pass and relocate to the ACD dormitory upon completion of his exams; but until then, he was required to sign in at the front desk and wear a visitor's badge. As if he needed one more thing to make him feel out of place…. He supposed some things just never change. Pushing aside his melancholy, Astinos marched towards the reception desk with purposeful strides. Not all dreams were meant to come true; and today, he would train and prepare for whatever tests he might face, even if he was alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Second Chances

Author: Estella Greenleaf

Rating: M (R/NC-17)

Pairing: Stelios /Astinos ; Leonidas / Dilios (Implied)

Disclaimer: Not mine! No profit made, etc…

Author's note: First bit is sort of Stelios' POV, the second is Astinos'. They finally get to meet ) I hope you'll enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it, heh.

* * *

Chapter 3

Ironic as it may seem, Sunshine was not a morning person. Sure, he could function with minimal sleep on the field, boot camp had made certain of that. But when he's home at the headquarters, he liked to savor every minute of his well-earned rest. Perhaps like wasn't strong enough a word to describe how he felt towards sleeping in. It's a well-known fact that being dragged out of bed made him extremely edgy and irritable; which was why no one, not even Daisy or the Boss, would ever try to wake him early unless there's an urgent situation with lots of monsters for him to kill. But since meeting his new partner was hardly an emergency, no one called to wake him up this morning.

Besides, the Boss had always trusted him to handle his assignments on his own. For a boy who was raised to be a dispensable weapon, such trust and respect was not taken lightly. That's why Stelios was determined to handle this baby-sitting job with professionalism, even though he didn't really want to touch it with a five-foot pole. He even set his alarm for 0630, to give himself enough time to work off his early morning edge before the meeting. After all, he was supposed to protect the kid, not scare him with his bad side. But thanks to an uncooperative piece of electronics that decided to die on the morning he needed it the most, he was, for the first time in many years, faced with the prospect of blotching a job and letting his commander down.

So it was that a disheveled Stelios rushed into the reception area, an hour and a half late for the meeting with his new partner.

"Damn it!" The kid wasn't in the reception lobby. In his mind's eye, Sunshine could see all the bad things that could have happened in his absence. He didn't know what's worse, the kid getting all roughed up because he was late, or the disappointment in the Boss' eyes when the man found out. "Fuck!"

Face set in a scowl, rusty-gold hair at all angles, t-shirt and sweat-pants still rumpled from sleep, Stelios looked positively fearsome, so much so that the receptionists were shrinking deeper into their seats to avoid his attention. As his heightened senses picked up on their fear, he sighed and ran an irate hand through his unkempt mane. He needed to calm down and think. If he could track an Imp through a maze of city sewers, he could definitely find his new partner in their relatively small headquarters…assuming the kid hadn't already been lynched…

Shaking his head to banish that last thought, Sunshine focused his attention on the 'hunt' at hand. The Boss had told him that the kid requested the 0800 appointment time. Unless his new partner was one of those disgusting people who always woke up all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, it's likely the boy wanted to train with him before the ACD standard morning drill. It made sense, considering his new partner was General Artemis' son. The kid probably hadn't gone a single day without intensive combat training since he's old enough to throw a punch.

Not to mention, one would have to be a gung-ho type-A overachiever to request an assignment at the ACD. There's no way such a person would be happy with sitting in a classroom all day. No… the rookie would want to work on his fighting skills, to show he's on par with everyone else here; and that meant there's only one place the kid could be. Confident of his deductions, Stelios grinned and dashed towards one of his secret shortcuts to the gym. By all accounts, his new partner was a bit of a whiz kid in the combat department; it's time to check out how good this Astinos really was.

* * *

Tai Chi wasn't normally part of Astinos' exercise routine; but today, he needed something to take his mind off the dark thoughts of his future in the ACD. Slow and fluid, his body moved, flowing from one posture to another, his mind focused only on attaining perfection in his form. He could hear the door to the gym open behind him; but he willed himself to ignore it. He would be done with his practice soon; surely whoever it was could wait for a little.

Snickers permeated the spacious area as four men walked into view. A team of agents, he reckoned, three heavily muscled blond grunts led by a slighter built middle-aged brunette. He could tell from the way they were watching him that they meant trouble. Taking a deep breath, he moved into closing position and straightened. As much as he disliked cutting his routine short, he wanted to avoid unnecessary confrontations with his fellow agents.

"I didn't know slow dancing is part of the RRTS morning routine," one of the grunts called out as he turned to leave.

Astinos was tempted to show the man exactly what this brand of "dancing" could do, but he kept walking. Things were bad enough for him here as it were; he couldn't afford to actively make an enemy. He stopped, however, when a beefy hand seized his shoulder. Pulling him back so that their bodies touched, the grunt continued, breathing the insult into his ear. "Put a dress on, and you'd look perfect."

Resisting the urge to twist and punch the man's face in, the youth replied through gritted teeth, "Let go."

"Oh, come now. We're just concerned for you, that's all." The team leader said with a slick oily smile, and signaled to the other two grunts to move in on Astinos. "The ACD is a very dangerous place."

"Yeah, we just wanted to show you how real men do things here."

With that, the grip on Astinos' shoulder tightened; and the young agent knew there was no choice but to fight. Grinning at the opportunity to test his skills against his presumably stronger and more experienced opponents, he replied, "If you insist."

His first order of business was to free his shoulder. There were numerous options; in the end, he decided to stomp on the grunt's foot with all his might. The man released him with a yelp, surprised by the sudden pain; and Astinos made full use of the moment of distraction to reach back, grab the man's forearm and threw him over the shoulder onto the floor. Flowing with the momentum of the throw, he did a backwards roll over the fallen grunt and landed, crouched on his feet, in front of his next opponent.

He moved to avoid a kick, placing his left hand on the ground, and lashed out with his right foot to sweep at the second grunt's pivot leg. As his opponent lost his balance and began to fall, his body continued to follow the motion of his spinning sweep kick. Shifting his weight onto the right hand, he delivered a second spin kick with his left leg as he stood.

Time seemed to slow as he watched a fist fly straight at his head. Despite the man's bulky built, the last grunt was fast! Fortunately, Astinos was a tiny bit faster and managed to side-step the punch for most part. It grazed his ear; but he was in too deep of an adrenaline rush for the pain to register. Without pause, he stepped into the hit and brought the heel of his palm up into his opponent's nose. A loud crack was followed by an even louder scream as his strike connected with the force of the grunt's own momentum behind it. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, as the last of his attackers fell back, clutching his broken nose.

"I'd like to leave now, if you're done showing me how things are done here." Astinos said, looking straight into the eyes of the presumed team leader who was watching on the sidelines. He could hear the fallen grunts slowly rising to their feet. He was confident he could take care of himself, if they were to attack again; but he'd rather not seriously injure any of his fellow agents.

"Calm down, Kid. We're just playing with you," the leader replied and gestured towards the door.

"Find someone else to play with next time," Astinos replied frostily as he turned towards the door to leave.

A sudden sting on his back alerted Astinos of danger; but by then, it was too late. A dart protruded from his back; and judging by the numbness radiating from his wound, the dart had been laced with some sort of tranquilizer. He watched as the team leader moved toward him with slow deliberate steps, dark eyes glinting with malicious light. The approach ended with the inevitable blow to his head. The movement was not fast by any means, but his limbs felt like lead, which made dodging the blow nigh impossible. He found himself falling; and though he tried to command his body to move, to stop the fall, it simply wouldn't listen.

"Like I said, the ACD is a very dangerous place," the brunette said with a sardonic laugh as the first kick landed on Astinos' ribs.

The pain jolted Astinos into renewing his struggle to move. Slow and clumsy, he managed to curl into fetal position, which was the best he could manage in his current condition. At least, this way, his vital areas would remain somewhat protected. He waited for the next kick to land; but to his surprise, it was his tormentor who let out a yelp of pain and stepped away, rubbing his head.

"Four big boys picking on a kid. Have you guys no shame?"

Astinos' breath caught in his throat as his eyes found his rescuer. The man was the splitting image of his dream lover, albeit a bit younger and with much shorter hair. Sure, there were times when he wondered if his recurring wet dreams were latent memories of a past life; but never in a million years would he ever imagine that his dream lover really existed…

"It's nice of you to drop by, Sunshine. How long have you been here?"

Sunshine… as in his partner… the one who didn't want to meet him… the one who was now facing the brunette with a nonchalant smile… Pitch-black disappointment made Astinos' eyes sting. He felt as if the man had betrayed him when he should have loved him. This feeling, it made no sense… Dreams were just dreams; he knew that. Sunshine's just another fellow agent; why would his rejection hurt so much more than the others'?

"Long enough." the blond agent's smile widened as he pointed up towards the ventilation ducts suspended from the gym's high ceilings. "I don't know how your team could have survived all these years, Theron. None of you looked up when you walked in."

His partner was here the entire time, watching that cheater Theron put a poisoned dart in his back, enjoying the sight of him defenseless and humiliated… Sunshine didn't come down to help him; the man just wanted to rub the fact that he needed help in his face… Pain was an excellent motivator; in Astinos' case, it drove him to slowly and unsteadily rose to his feet. He simply couldn't stand being in the same room as his partner anymore.

"We're just trying to do you a favor. We both know a kid who can't handle a little surprise don't belong in the field."

Those two could stay and talk trash about him all they wanted; he was going to walk out with his head held high. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing how much they'd hurt him. Left foot forward… slow… right foot now… steady…

"You talk like you didn't just get hit in the head with a gumball." Sunshine's baritone laugh was cut short when the man noticed Astinos' swaying steps towards the door. "Hey, Kid, where do you think you're going?"

"It's none of your business," the youth replied without sparing his partner a glance.

Closing the distance between them in a few short strides, the senior agent asked, "What's with the attitude?"

Astinos didn't answer. He had nothing to say to the man anyway.

Sunshine frowned in contemplation. A few second passed and a look of distaste marred his handsome face as he asked, "You don't think I'm with them, do you?"

Once again, the young man didn't answer and continued his trek for the door with single-minded determination. A hand found his arm, the extra weight causing him to sway precariously. Desperate to get away without further humiliation, he answered caustically, "If your intention is to show me I am not good enough to work here, you have made your point; so, please, just leave me be."

"But that's not my intention at all!" When Astinos refused to acknowledge his words, the blond agent stated, "Alright, you leave me no choice then."

The dark-haired youth suddenly found himself hoisted into his partner's arms. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he began to struggle as much as his half-paralyzed body allowed and screamed, "Put me down!"

"No. I'm your partner, so I'm not letting you go. Now quit squirming before we both fall over!"

Voice dripping with bitter sarcasm, convinced that this was just another one of his partner's ploy to humiliate him further, Astinos countered, "It's a bit late to be playing the concerned partner, Sunshine."

The senior agent sighed and replied sheepishly, "I know I should have come down sooner; but you're handling things so well…"

"Handling things well? In case you didn't notice, I was on the short end of a beating just now," Astinos interrupted in disbelief, unable to keep quiet at his partner's ridiculous statement.

The blond shrugged and answered with a nonchalant smile, "Minor details. You would have wiped the floor with Theron's ass if he hadn't cheated."

"You think so?" A spark of hope flickered in Astinos' heart. He knew it's irrational, that he'd only be setting himself up for the fall; but there it was, the mad hope that maybe he had misjudged the situation; that Sunshine actually thought him worthwhile and wanted him here.

"No, I know so." The senior agent rolled his eyes, as if a bit miffed at having his judgment questioned. "You dropped three reasonably well-trained agents in less than three minutes. Not a lot of people can do that."

Astinos wasn't sure if he were dreaming… Sunshine, one of the senior agents at the ACD, had just paid him a compliment despite his disastrous performance. No one, not his trainers, and definitely not his father, had ever praised him for a job well done. There was always room for improvement, which was their way of saying he wasn't good enough. For his new partner to think that he was handling things well, that he could take care of the situation on his own, it's simply too surreal. He'd be staring at his dream man with goofy grin, if it weren't for the thoughts of what his father would say. "Still, I got my ass kicked today. Sure, Theron cheated; but there's no such thing as a fair fight on the field and…."

"Well, that's what I'm here for, right? To bail you out if you need it." his partner interrupted with a mischievous grin. "No one's perfect, Kid; and if you are, you'll make my job really boring. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

A stunned look of disbelief was quickly replaced with rolling laughter as Astinos mentally thanked all the powers that be for making such a fun, easy-going, and gorgeous man his partner. "No," he replied breathlessly, as the ache in his bruised rib forced him out of his mirth. His future at the ACD might still be in flux; but one thing he knew for certain: life would never be boring as long as he's with Sunshine.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Second Chances

Author: Estella Greenleaf

Rating: M (R/NC-17)

Pairing: Stelios /Astinos ; Leonidas / Dilios (Implied)

Disclaimer: Not mine! No profit made, etc…

Author's note: Thanks for all the wonderful feedback. It really brightens my day to discover people out there are enjoying this strange little brainchild of mine. And sorry this chapter took so long. It's been written and re-written so many times. I can't seem to get a balanced & consistent characterization for Astinos. Stelios, I think I can do; but Astinos, there's so much strength and vulnerability at the same time, it's just so hard to get the right balance. I am more or less happy with this version, though Astinos still seemed a little too angsty at points; but I hope it isn't too badly out of character.

* * *

Stelios wasn't quite sure what to make of the tiny tingles traveling down his spine. He supposed it's the excitement. Thanks to his upbringing, his entertainment of choice was watching martial arts competitions; and boy, did his new partner give him a good show! Graceful, confident and deadly efficient, the Kid in motion was truly a beauty to behold. It was worth missing a few hours of sleep to watch. Maybe he'd ask Reception to give him a call tomorrow morning when Astinos comes in; it'd be so much fun, sparring with the Kid… he could hardly wait… 

Astinos placed a hand upon his shoulder and shifted in his arms, pressing closer against him. He supposed the Kid didn't fancy getting dropped by accident. Not that such a thing would happen, of course. The alien infection came with a few nice perks; among them were enhanced strength and sense of balance. The thing about falling over was just a little white lie to get Astinos to quit squirming and cooperate.

Stelios' stomach did a flip-flop as their current position allowed the Kid's breath to caress his neck. He thought about his conversation with Daisy and wondered if the reaction was indicative of some form of physical attraction for his new partner. But who's he kidding? Interest in sexuality was a trait of a normal human his age; and normal was something he could never be. He had accepted that years ago, after an appallingly humiliating hands-on sex ed. session with a busty female nurse in a skimpy uniform.

He never quite understood why the RRTS scientists were so concerned over his disinterest in that particular subject in the first place. So what if it's a sign of infection-altered brain chemistry. It's not like that's his only alien trait. They weren't so concerned about his being able to hear and smell across the hall or sense fear as a vibe in the air…

Another breath… another flip-flop… and Stelios frowned. While the sensation was rather pleasant, it was involuntary, and therefore unacceptable. Discipline over his body's reactions was essential to survival on the field; he couldn't afford to be distracted by incomprehensible feelings he had no control over. "_Especially now, when Astinos is mine to protect,_" a small voice in his head added.

His frown deepened at the fierce possessiveness of the thought and glanced at the youth in his arms. Astinos looked so relaxed against him with hooded eyes and a lazy half-smile; it made his stomach lurch and his chest tight. It was the strangest thing he's ever felt; but he decided not to dwell on it. It must have taken an inordinate amount of trust on the Kid's part to drop his warrior façade in his presence; and that's reason enough for Stelios to accept these new sensations for whatever they were. Attraction or not, he would protect Astinos with everything he was; and that's all that mattered.

* * *

While a rational pragmatist like Astinos knew there's nothing remotely romantic about his current situation, he couldn't help but appreciate how warm and solid Sunshine's body felt against his. This wasn't like him, to preoccupy his thought with idle appraisals in a fellow warrior's presence, but something about his new partner made him feel at ease. Maybe it's the dreams. Posturing seemed pointless really, considering the things he's allowed the man's doppelganger to do to him in his nightly fantasies… 

Unable to resist the temptation, Astinos snuggled closer to the blond and half-buried his face against the crook of the man's neck. God, this felt good… For a brief moment, he contemplated pressing his lips against Sunshine's radiant skin; but in the end, he managed to refrain. He may be beyond denying this instant and foolish attraction towards his partner, but he'd be damned if he started acting rashly on it too! He's the son of General Artemis after all. As things were, he could justify his actions by claiming he didn't want to be dropped; anything more would be inappropriate…

The thought of inappropriate behavior called to mind the image of himself in Sunshine's arms, clinging to the man as he would a lover. As romantic as being carried around by his 'dream man' might sound, it was hardly the way to gain his colleagues' and father's approval. It's bad enough that he lost to Theron in combat; he really didn't want people to see him like this, injured and vulnerable in his senior partner's arms.

Gathering his resolve, the dark-haired youth opened his eyes and tore himself away from his partner. He didn't move far; well, he couldn't at any rate, given his circumstances, but it was a start. "So where are we going?"

"What? I thought a bright boy like you would have figured it out by now." Stelios replied with a teasing smile.

The twinkle in his partner's sapphire gaze brought a smirk upon the youth's boyish features. So Sunshine thought himself sarcastic and witty, huh? Astinos didn't grow up under a roof with five younger brothers without learning how to give a good ribbing. If the senior agent wanted to play word games, he would be more than willing to oblige. "Unlike a certain someone, I have been taught not to presume."

"Are you implying I have no manners?" the blond man asked with a look of mock indignation.

Astinos knew Sunshine wasn't really offended. He had a feeling he'd be flat on his ass or worse if that were the case. With a smugness he'd rarely, if ever, displayed in front of his senior officers, the youth replied, "Well, carting a helpless boy off unwillingly to god-knows-where is not exactly the work of a gentleman."

"You hardly count as helpless, my friend," replied Sunshine with a grin. Glancing at Astinos' hand upon his shoulder, he added, "or unwilling, for that matter."

The dark-haired youth was forced to concede the point and let the senior agent have the last word. Astinos would probably be a little miffed, given his competitive nature, if not for the fact that Sunshine had just referred to him as a friend. For his partner to offer friendship so soon, before he's proved himself deserving, it's more than he could ever hope for. If he were a man with lesser reserve, and if he weren't still partially paralyzed, he'd be sorely tempted to bounce around in joy.

Though usually not one to question his blessings, Astinos couldn't help but wonder if this seemingly instant bond between him and Sunshine was connected to his recurring dreams. But before he could ponder this issue further, his partner was finally ready to offer him a straight answer to his first question. "It is a good thing the Doc's office isn't much further. You're much heavier than you look."

"The Doc's office? But I'm fine!" Astinos knew he wasn't fine. But if he went to the ACD physician, an official report of the incident with Theron would have to be filed; and inevitably, General Artemis would find out about his disastrous performance. Despite what Sunshine had said, he knew his perfectionist father would be sorely disappointed; and that was not the kind of start he wanted for his new career at the ACD.

"Somehow I doubt partial paralysis and bruised ribs count as fine," the blond agent replied with a quirked brow, as if he was wondering whether Astinos had been hit too hard on the head and had gone daft.

Putting on his most resolute look, the young agent insisted, "I'm sure whatever tranquilizer Theron used will wear off soon. If you can just take me some place where I can sleep it off…"

Sunshine surprised him by offering him a sympathetic look. Somehow, he didn't think of the tough, wild-looking blond as a man who would so readily show his gentler qualities. "Listen, Kid, whatever happened this morning, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Theron deserves an official reprimand for cheating."

Astinos didn't want his partner's pity. It made him feel worse, as if he had disappointed not only his father, but Sunshine as well; and that the man was just trying to let him down gently about his inadequacies. Putting on a brave face despite the self-depreciating thoughts running through his mind, he insisted again, "This is between Theron and me. I want to take care of it myself."

"But you're injured!" the senior agent exclaimed in exasperation.

Astinos could tell Sunshine was becoming genuinely annoyed with his stubbornness. He wouldn't be surprised if the man just dumped him onto the floor and leave him to his own devices. The thought depressed him greatly. He should have known… For all the talk of friendship and camaraderie, no veteran ACD agent would really want a stubborn uninfected boy like him as a partner…

Unable to push away his dark thoughts, Astinos couldn't muster his usual reserve to think up a witty retort. Instead, he sighed and softly pleaded, "You said you know I can beat Theron if he hadn't cheated; all I'm asking for is a chance to prove it."

Astinos knew he sounded desperate and weak; but he was beyond caring. Let his partner think what he would of him; he would give anything for another chance to prove himself capable before he was judged in his father's eyes. It's the only thing left for him, now that he realized Sunshine's offer of friendship must have been nothing more than a professional courtesy...

Sunshine let out a gusty sigh in response. Shifting Astinos' weight in his arms so that they could see eye to eye, the senior agent grudgingly relented, "Fine, you can rest in my bunk for now. But if you aren't better by lunchtime…"

A relieved grin settled upon Astinos' youthful face as he won his first 'victory' since he's set foot within the ACD office. Then again, the smile could have been a response to the genuine concern in his partner's eyes. When Sunshine looked at him like that, it made everything else seemed mote somehow. "I'll be fine. You'll find that I'm as tough as I am heavy."

Sunshine laughed soundly and re-adjusted his hold on Astinos to pull him closer. "You're impossible, Kid; you know that, don't you?"

Head resting on the blond's shoulder, Astinos realized the man's question was an affirmation of their budding friendship, a bond that was as real as the arms supporting him. Deserving or not, he had Sunshine's friendship; it would be an insult to the man to doubt it again. Savoring the little tremors that rocked through his partner's solid frame as laughter transformed into a breathless chuckle, the youth replied cheekily, "Yeah, I know."

In a moment of boldness, before his brain could censor his words, Astinos added, voicing his secret hope, "But you like me that way."

The young agent froze in mortification at his flirtatious statement. What if his partner took it the wrong way, or rather the right way? But before he could begin 'damage control', a second peal of rolling laughter melted away his fears. "I suppose I do," Sunshine smiled salaciously and winked, leaving Astinos to wonder if his attraction was requited; and that his dreams were preludes to his destiny.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Second Chances

Title: Second Chances

Author: Estella Greenleaf

Rating: M (R/NC-17)

Pairing: Stelios /Astinos ; Leonidas / Dilios (Implied)

Disclaimer: Not mine! No profit made, etc…

Author's note: Sorry for the long draught of updates. Stelios went all angsty on me on the previous incarnations of this chapter. It's not until 2 days ago that he finally agreed to play nice and get back into character more or less. This is the third rewrite. I'm still not quite happy with it; but I hope it doesn't suck too bad (

Author's note 2: This is actually half of what I intended for a chapter. You'll notice that it only has Stelios' POV; Astinos' will be in the next update. It's been so long, I just want to put something out there to let people know I haven't abandoned this!

* * *

Stelios wasn't sure what possessed him to take his partner through his favorite shortcut to the barracks. Sure, he liked Astinos; the Kid's mad fighting skills and sense of humor had made certain of that; but the service tunnels crisscrossing the ACD complex were his private sanctuary, his secret hideout when he didn't want to be found. He'd never taken anyone through them before, not even Daisy.

Maybe it's the shamed look on his partner's face when they ran into the Boss through the "normal" route to his bunk. Truth be told, Stelios couldn't understand the Kid's preoccupation with maintaining a stoic warrior façade for the masses. Everyone needed help sometimes; it didn't mean they were incompetent. He still remembered the time a Berserker took a chunk out of his leg and he had to limp all the way back to the rendezvous point on his own. He would have loved to have someone carry him then, even if the entire world was watching…

Still, the way Astinos' smile died, it tugged at his heart in ways he couldn't even begin to describe. Maybe he **did** feel something special for the Kid; or maybe it's because no one else had ever beamed at him the way his new partner did. Whatever the reason, at that moment, all he knew was that he wanted to see Astinos smile again.

It seemed a brilliant idea at the time, really, holding his partner tighter against him and making a dash for one of the many entrances to the maintenance corridor system. After all, no one, aside from himself, frequented these tunnels; and in here, there's no need for the Kid to worry about keeping up appearances. But now that they were down at the basement level in a tunnel with blinking red lights and "Danger! Authorized Personnel Only!" signs plastered liberally on the walls, he was beginning to doubt the wisdom of his impulsive action.

Chancing a glance at the boy in his arms, Stelios was relieved to see that, while Astinos wasn't exactly smiling, his eyes had regained some of their usual sparkle as he surveyed their surroundings with curiosity. "You live down here?"

Seizing upon the opportunity to fool around and perhaps make his partner smile at him again, Stelios joked with mock seriousness, "Oh no, I'm just taking you somewhere desolate so I can take advantage of you."

The senior agent found himself grinning when his partner laughed in response and replied with a quirked brow. "Hmm, can't you just do that in the comforts of your own bed? I mean, that's where you're taking me, right?"

"Maybe there's something about dark, secluded places that puts me in the mood," Sunshine replied, devilish grin still in place.

Stelios felt the Kid tensed in his arms and wondered if he'd gone too far with the innuendoes. Sure, he joked around like this with his friends all the time; but he only had four of those and they all knew he wouldn't know what lust was even if it hit him over the head. What if Astinos thought he really was a pervert?

It certainly wouldn't be the first time his lack of social etiquettes messed things up with a partner. He had hoped things would be different this time; but he should have known better. If something seemed too good to be true, it usually was. And a witty, capable partner who enjoyed his company despite his personality flaws definitely fell into the "too good to be true" category. The Kid's probably been tolerating his antics because he's a senior officer.

Sunshine's musing was cut short when he felt his young charge relaxed in his arms again. Face set in the prettiest pout Stelios had ever seen, Astinos protested, "And there I thought you helped me out of the goodness of your heart."

A rush of relief flooded Stelios, prompting him to let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Why did he care about what Astinos thought of him anyway? He's never cared about such things before. Maybe he'll talk to Daisy later; the older man was much better at this "human relationships" thing than he was. But for now, he owed Astinos a smart-ass retort. "Me? Good? Didn't your friends at the RRTS warn you that I'm the division's resident homicidal maniac?"

"Nope, don't really have friends at the RRTS. People there don't take it well when they get beat by someone younger and smaller," the Kid replied with a small shrug.

Stelios was surprised. He'd expected Astinos to have lots of acolytes in the main branch, given his heritage, skills and charm. He didn't realize the boy's talents would isolate him from his peers; much like his own unique "alien traits" had made him feared among most of his colleagues. Perhaps his partner had more in common with him than he'd originally thought.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Stelios agreed, feeling a deepening sense of kinship towards the Kid. Adding with a smirk, he said, "But personally, I like getting my ass kicked in training; it's good practice for the field. So you're more than welcome to wipe the floor with me, that is if you can."

Chuckling in response to the challenge, the Kid replied, "For you, I'll see what I can arrange. Does this mean I'll see you tomorrow at 8?"

"I've got a better idea. We can do it this afternoon, after your classes, assuming you can move again by then." Patience wasn't Stelios strong suit off the field; and he had been itching to see what Astinos could do in a fair fight ever since he watched the Kid took on Theron's team.

"I can't." Astinos sighed as his smile wavered.

Stelios wasn't sure what he'd said wrong to cause the shift in his partner's mood, but he was determined to get to find out. Smirking to cover his concern, he asked, "What? You've got a hot date tonight or something?"

Stelios didn't know why, but he watched the Kid intently as he waited for an answer. He could detect a faint blush, almost concealed by the red light tinting the corridor. Was the boy embarrassed by the question? Or was it something else? Before he could tune his senses to the vibes in the air to gain more insights, Astinos replied, "No, but I'm on visitor status. I have to check out before reception close."

With the Kid's answer came a sense of outrage. Astinos might be uninfected; but judging by what he's seen, the boy was more than qualified to work here. "That's ridiculous! You're part of the division."

"Not officially," Astinos replied with a matter-of-fact expression. "I don't get a badge or barrack assignment until I pass the amplitude tests."

Stelios knew his partner wasn't staying in the complex; but he had thought it was by choice. He didn't know Astinos wasn't _**offered**_ living quarters. He could understand the Boss wanting the Kid to go through a try-out period; but granting only _**visitor status**_, that's going too far. Maybe the commander wanted to avoid unnecessary confrontations with those who didn't want an uninfected soldier in their midst; but Astinos deserved better than being treated like an outcast in his own division!

Fortunately, the Boss has given Sunshine complete control over his partner's training. Together with his senior agent status, it meant that **he** could make a few decisions of his own concerning the Kid. "I see. In that case, you can stay with me as my guest until then."

When Astinos stared wide-eyed at his suggestion, the blond agent explained, "I've got an extra room in my suite. Daisy moved out years ago; and they hadn't promoted anyone to senior agent status to take the space."

The wide-eyed expression didn't leave the Kid's face as he protested vehemently, "I can't stay in the senior agent's quarters!"

Stelios frowned. Was Astinos protesting because the suite was designated for senior agents? Or was it because the place was _**his**_? Keeping his tone as nonchalant as possible, he pressed, "Why not? I'm allowed overnight guests; and there's no rule saying it can't be a fellow agent."

"But it's a _**senior**_ agent's suite; and I'm not a senior agent!"

So it's the boy's sense of propriety and rank that held him back. Now that Sunshine knew it wasn't his company Astinos was objecting to, he grinned, "Never mind that! Hawk's girlfriend stays in his suite all the time; and she doesn't even work here!"

"But that's different!"

Astinos was blushing profusely now; and Stelios could hear that the boy's pulse had quickened. The Kid was likely annoyed and embarrassed at being compared to Hawk's girlfriend. While Sunshine was sorely tempted to tease his partner a bit more, he refrained. After all, the goal was to convince Astinos to be his suite-mate; it'd be best to stay on the youth's good side. "True, but the point is that my guest, which in this case is you, is allowed to stay past visitor's hours and share my senior agent suite. The only question is whether you want to stay with me or not."

Here comes the moment of truth, no more beating around the bush, no more guessing. Just a simple yes or no that would let Stelios know if he'd been hoping for too much from his new partner. For a brief moment, Astinos locked gazes with him and Sunshine felt his pulse quickening. Something that would shape their future was about to be said. "I…"

Astinos' voice faltered. Looking away, the boy sighed, "The Boss would never approve."

It wasn't the straight answer Stelios was hoping for; but he could tell Astinos wanted to stay with him. Why else would the boy sigh at the prospect of their commander's disapproval? Grinning, he replied, "You want to bet?" Soon, he would have a suite-mate whose company he enjoyed and a sparring partner he wanted to play with. The day was turning out to be a _**great**_ day!


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Second Chances

Title: Second Chances

Author: Estella Greenleaf

Rating: M (R/NC-17)

Pairing: Stelios /Astinos ; Leonidas / Dilios (Implied)

Disclaimer: Not mine! No profit made, etc…

Author's note: Man, what's supposed to be a short chapter just keeps getting longer and longer. I apologize for how long it took. Still, nothing really happens; but I hope you'll enjoy reading the banter as much as I did writing it.

* * *

Astinos wasn't sure how to feel at the latest turn of events. Part of him was exceptionally pleased. Sunshine was the first friend he's made at the RRTS; it'd be great spending more time with the man, getting to know him better. Yet, part of him was terrified. He knew he had a perchance for vivid wet dreams, had a feeling he'd be rather vocal during these episodes. What if the senior agent were to overhear him? What if the man discovered that his own doppelganger was the star of Astinos' fantasies?

Would Sunshine be disgusted? Or would the man reciprocate his interest? The irrational romantic in him was dying to know the answer; but he couldn't risk their newfound friendship. It's simply too precious. He had no choice but to keep his infatuation under wraps and pretend to be 'just a friend', at least until he got a better feel for his partner's moods. He had a feeling it wouldn't be easy though, given how their banter tended to drift into salacious territory.

Only a moment ago, he had frozen when Sunshine's joke about dark secluded places conjured up images of their bodies entwined, of stolen moments shrouded in darkness and secrecy. It had taken all of his will power to drag his mind back to reality and give the senior agent a worthy retort. He was lucky the man didn't suspect the real reason for his reaction…

Why on earth were their conversations so sexually charged in the first place? He certainly wasn't in the habit of flirting with a man (or a woman for that matter) he's just met. But with Sunshine, it just felt natural and _**right**_ somehow. Was it the same for his partner? Did the senior agent joke around like this with everyone? Or was the man only so flirtatious with him?

Astinos' musing was cut short when the senior agent announced, "Almost there!"

The youth looked around and saw only a dead-end. "Is this the part where you go open sesame?"

Sunshine laughed and tilted his head upwards towards the opening of a ventilation duct above. "No, it's just up this way, about 50 feet."

Even if he weren't injured, the youth was sure he couldn't scale a vertical smooth surface without gear. There were practically no foot or hand holds. Wrinkling his brow, Astinos asked, "And how do you suggest we get up there?"

"You'll see," the senior agent replied with a devilish grin. It's a scary expression really, full of maniacal delight that told Astinos the man was about to do something crazy, that he should be holding on for dear life.

And right the youth's instincts were, as Sunshine leapt, his momentum carrying them through the opening on a collision course with the side of the duct. Astinos was surprised at how calm he was as the wall loomed, at how much he trusted the partner he's only just met. He knew it was irrational; but he felt, no, he **_knew_**, crazy as the man may seem, Sunshine would never knowingly put him in any real danger. Give him a chance to go his own way, yes, but always close enough to lend a hand if needed.

Just as Astinos expected, crashing into the wall was not on his partner's agenda. Moments before a face-first collision, the senior agent kicked out a leg and planted his foot onto the side of the duct. Pivoting on the point of contact, Sunshine turned and kicked off again, jumping towards the opposite side of the wall. So it was that they zigzagged up the ventilation duct, reaching the top in a matter of seconds.

As they stood on the roof of the ACD complex, Sunshine asked, "That wasn't too rough for you, was it?"

Astinos thought he'd detected a tinge of insecurity in his partner's voice. Was the man looking for his approval of their mode of travel? But it couldn't be; Sunshine was far too self-assured for that. More than likely, the senior agent was just teasing him.

"No, I like it rough." The words had flowed out naturally before Astinos had a chance to stop it. He was supposed to keep things cool, not throw out a double entendre!

The young agent was mentally kicking himself when his partner laughed, "You know what they say, you always have to watch out for the pretty ones."

Astinos knew that continuing this flirtatious banter was like playing with fire; but once again, he couldn't help himself. It's not in his competitive nature to let a challenge go unanswered. Grinning impishly, he delivered what he thought was a perfect comeback, "So does that mean I am safe with you?"

"Ouch! That hurts!" the senior agent replied with a wounded look. "I think I'll go jump off a building now." He then proceeded to walk to the edge of roof with Astinos in his arms and did exactly that.

The pair landed on a soft mat in the balcony of one of the top floor suites. Noting the placement of the mat and the open sliding glass door leading into the suite, the youth remarked, "I see you do this quite often."

"Well, not with a pretty boy in my arms," Sunshine replied as he straightened and shifted his hold on Astinos. Walking through the glass door into a spartanly decorated room dominated by an unmade king-size bed, he announced, "Here we are, home sweet home."

Astinos' heart was pounding as his partner's steps carried him closer towards the bed. '_Calm down_', he told himself. There's nothing remotely romantic in Sunshine's gesture… The man was just being kind and letting him rest in his sleeping space; that's all!

The youth soon found himself being set down gently in seating position on the edge of the bed. As Sunshine made a haphazard attempt to straighten the beddings, he said, "I'll get the other room set up for you later. You can rest here for now."

Astinos nodded mutely; he didn't trust himself to speak. Having Sunshine so close, practically on all fours next to him, trying to smooth out the furthest corner of the bedspread, it was too much for his self-control to handle. There was no stopping himself from imagining the man naked, in a similar position, but a much less ingenuous context.

The youth's was interrupted when his partner sat down beside him and asked, "You okay? You look a bit piqued." It would appear that the man was now satisfied with the state of the bed, and had turned his attention back to him. Pressing a hand against Astinos' forehead, the senior agent announced with a frown, "Hmm, seems a bit warm."

It took every ounce of Astinos' will power to rein in his overactive imagination and form an intelligible response; and he was quite proud of himself when he muttered, "Probably the drug in Theron's dart."

Sunshine nodded in agreement and reached out towards him. "I suppose I should take a look at the wound."

The young agent knew his partner was just being logical and helpful; but he could imagine what "looking at the wound" entailed, and he was in no shape to endure such temptation. As things were, a certain part of his anatomy was beginning to stir despite the tranquilizer. He couldn't risk Sunshine discovering his infatuation so soon. "No, it's okay; I don't feel a thing, really."

"That's what I'm worried about." Face set in a determined frown, the senior agent lifted Astinos' t-shirt and began coaxing the youth's half-paralyzed body into motion such that the shirt could be removed.

Astinos tensed, as he desperately wrecked his brain for a way to stop his partner. As the senior agent tried to lift his arm, he feigned a jolt of pain and grimaced, "Okay… I feel that."

"Sorry," Sunshine replied with a sheepish smile and moved back.

The helm of Astinos' t-shirt remained hooked upon his shoulder, leaving half his torso exposed, but he was too pleased with how well his ploy had worked to mind. However, his sigh of relief turned into a surprised gasp as he felt feather-light touches ghosting over his side, tracing his ribs with infinite care. Never in a million years would he have thought Sunshine capable of such tenderness; it seemed at odds with the man's strength somehow. And then there were the dreams. The blonde's doppelganger's touch was never gentle… loving in his own way, yes, but always passionate and forceful.

This unexpected gentleness felt good… too good. His pulse quickened; and butterflies took residence in his stomach. He was on the verge of doing something he knew he would regret later, namely leaning in to kiss Sunshine, when the soft touch reached what must have been the point of impact of Theron's kick and prompted a genuine grunt of pain.

"Fuck!" Astinos swore as his partner's hand withdrew; but whether his annoyance was at his momentary lapse of judgment or at the inopportune interruption, he didn't know. All he knew was that his skin still tingled from Sunshine's touch, and he wanted more.

"Sorry, I don't put out on a first date," the senior agent replied with mock seriousness, before breaking out into laughter at Astinos' dumb-founded expression.

"Tease," the youth muttered with a pout. It was the only response he could manage under the circumstances, since it's exactly how he felt.

The senior agent grinned, probably mistaking the response as nothing more than a playful retort. Astinos knew he should be grateful, that Sunshine remained oblivious of his attraction, but a small part of him was dissatisfied. How was he to gauge his partner's interest in him if the man kept taking any attempts at flirtation on his part as a joke?

The young agent's musing was cut short when Sunshine announced, "I don't think your ribs are broken; but we should bind them just in case," and proceeded to rummage through the drawers of his nightstand for bandages.

'_What kind of person keep bandages in a nightstand?_' that was what Astinos was thinking when he felt his his partner's arms encircled him. A hand found his heated skin, holding the end of the bandage in place as the other worked to wrap the elastic strip around his torso. It's becoming increasingly difficult to breath; and the young agent had a feeling it wasn't because of the tightness of the bandages. He needed something to distract his mind from the sensation; and a quest for Sunshine's real name seemed a worthy endeavor. "I just realize, I'm sitting here, half naked in your bed, and I don't even know your name."

"Stelios at your service."

Astinos jerked his head towards his partner and stared. It couldn't be… Stelios was the name of the boy in his dreams the night before, the one who befriended him, helped him when no one else would… For Sunshine, his first friend at the RRTS, to bear the same name, what were the chances? He suspected he would have continued staring agape at his partner if the man hadn't frowned and protested, "Oh, come on, it's not that weird of a name!"

The senior agent sounded petulant, as if he were genuinely annoyed; and annoying Stelios was the last thing Astinos wanted to do, especially when the said man was in the process of tightening the bandages around his ribs. "It's just you don't look very Grecian, that's all." The youth knew it's a lame excuse, but it was the best he could muster with his mind still slightly in shock.

"It's not like I chose my name, you know. My parents met during a premiere, and they thought it romantic to name me after the hero of the movie. The other kids at school used to give me grief about it all the time," "Stelios replied, irritation clear in his voice.

Now Astinos understood why his partner was so upset by his reaction; and since he couldn't possibly explain why he found Stelios' name so 'unusual', he knew there's only one thing he could do to placate the man. He would let Sunshine in on the origins of his own name. "Well, I'd take a movie hero over a James Bond car any day."

Intrigued, the senior agent's frown eased as he asked, "What do you mean?"

"My namesake is an Astin Martin D5," replied Astinos with a sigh. His reply prompted a peal of laughter from his partner. Normally, he would be annoyed, considering how much teasing he had endured over being named after a car; but right now, he's just happy that all seemed forgiven. Continuing with a pout, he added, "And you know what the kicker is? Sometimes I think my dad likes that car more than he likes me."

Stelios' expression turned serious as he replied, "There is no way anyone could like a D5 more than you."

Had Sunshine noticed the veiled melancholy in his voice? True, he had often wondered if he meant more to his father than the antique sportscar; but the last thing he wanted was for his partner to know! He didn't want the man's pity. Astinos was debating how to respond to the senior agent's reassurances when he noticed the devilish grin that had now taken residence upon Sunshine's features.

Dropping his voice to a low purr, Stelios leant in and breathed into Astinos' ear, "You're a much sweeter ride."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the youth retorted, but with much less spunk than he'd hoped. Then again, he should be glad he could manage a reply at all, since his brain had taken leave to relish in images of him being Stelios' 'ride'.

"Playing hard to get doesn't suit you," the senior agent replied, still grinning, as he tied off the bandages and pulled Astinos' t-shirt back into place. Lifting the young man gently and placing him onto the center of his large bed, he added, "Here, lie down and be a good boy."

Astinos' breath hitch as his partner leant over him to tug him in. He was glad for the tranquilizer numbing his body and his senses; or else, there'd be a wet tent in the sheets between his legs. "But I'm not tired," he muttered in an effort to bring his mind back towards a more 'appropriate' line of thought.

"You can do some permanent damage if you don't allow your body time to heal," Sunshine replied sagely, shaking his head at the young man as if he were an errant child.

There it was again, words from his dream the night before, coming from a real-life Stelios… Astinos couldn't help but stare. At his agape expression, the senior agent asked, "What?"

The question snapped Astinos out of his surprise. Yes, it was eerie how his dreams seemed to mirror reality; but his partner weren't privy to those dreams, which meant that as far as the man was concerned, the 'sage reply' was nothing out of the ordinary. He had to stop reacting so 'inappropriately', lest he risked offending Stelios again. Forcing a mischievous grin, he joked, "Just wanted to make sure you aren't my mom in disguise because you sounded just like her right now."

"Cheeky," Stelios laughed, accepting the youth's stare as set-up for a witty comeback. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat, us grown-ups actually have work to do around here. I'll be back to check on you in a bit, okay?"

As his partner moved towards the open balcony door, Astinos asked, partly out of curiosity and partly out of concern that this 'work' might concern him, "What kind of work?"

"We may be sharing a bed, love, but a man's got to have his secrets," replied Stelios with a wink before taking a running leap onto the balcony railing and shooting off towards the roof out of Astinos' sight, leaving the young man alone to ponder the events of his eventful morning and an all-important question – how on earth was he supposed to act 'normal' around Stelios, when in his heart, he couldn't help but feel that his dreams were prelude to his destiny?


End file.
